The Greatest Enemy in Life
"Brumuru, burubru!"
Charlotte Linlin glanced at the Den Den Mushi, resisting the urge to smash it into pieces. This was the one gifted to him by Golden Lion Shiki.
Needless to say, the caller was undoubtedly Shiki himself.
Charlotte rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. No matter how much he tried to lay low, he still couldn't escape that man's grasp.
After a moment of hesitation, he gritted his teeth and answered the call. He had no choice—defying Golden Lion Shiki head-on was not an option.
"Jihahaha! Charlotte, you really don't act like a pirate, do you?"
A boisterous, almost theatrical laugh rang out. The Den Den Mushi perfectly mimicked Shiki's rough, overbearing demeanor.
Since joining the Golden Lion Pirates, Charlotte had kept an incredibly low profile, rarely surfacing unless absolutely necessary. Despite his efforts, Shiki still managed to drag him into trouble.
Suppressing his frustration, Charlotte responded in an almost resigned tone.
"Ah, Captain…"
"I've just been busy overseeing the development of Lati Island. No time for pointless excursions. Besides, the sea is dangerous. It takes a real powerhouse like you to roam freely. I could never hope to match your level, Captain."
Shiki laughed heartily.
"Jihahaha! That's right! But that's why I have the perfect job for you—to make sure the name of the Flying Pirates still strikes fear into people's hearts!"
Charlotte clenched his fists under the table, suppressing the urge to strangle the man on the other end.
"Still talking about prestige..."
He didn't want to attract attention. His strategy of keeping a low profile was working—his bounty had remained stagnant for years. With so many notorious pirates constantly making waves, the Navy had all but forgotten about him. And that was exactly how he wanted it.
But, of course, he had no power to refuse Shiki outright. He could only protest indirectly.
"A mission, Captain? Are you sure I'm the best choice? I'm not used to long voyages, and honestly, I'm prone to coughing spells at sea."
Shiki, unimpressed, ignored the excuse.
"There's a kingdom called Iler near your location. I need you to kill its king and retrieve my treasure."
Charlotte's expression darkened.
He had heard of the Kingdom of Iler. Ivan, his intelligence officer, had gathered information about it from passing merchant ships. Though it wasn't affiliated with the World Government, assassinating a king was still a big deal.
Trying to feign ignorance, he replied, "Captain, Iler? I've never even heard of it. You know I hardly leave my island..."
"Jihahaha! Don't worry about that! Qiqiya's already on her way with a sea chart. You'll have all the directions you need!"
Before Charlotte could argue further, the Den Den Mushi abruptly cut off.
Charlotte's expression was as dark as stormy waters. Shiki never took no for an answer.
What had this so-called King of Iler done to provoke such a lunatic? And why did he have to be dragged into it?
Charlotte gritted his teeth. And to make matters worse, she was coming.
Qiqiya.
The woman who had single-handedly destroyed his peaceful existence. At first, he had been puzzled as to why Shiki had suddenly taken notice of a low-profile figure like him. But during a banquet, he learned the truth—Qiqiya had provided Shiki with information about him.
Because of her, he had been forced into piracy.
There was no greater enemy than this.
Charlotte had half a mind to throw her into the ocean.
But the risk was too high.
Qiqiya wasn't just some ordinary crewmember—she was one of Shiki's most trusted officers. A woman who could thrive in the chaotic world of the Grand Line was not someone to be underestimated.
If he killed her, Shiki would fly into a rage, and Charlotte could bet that the old pirate had contingency plans in place for betrayal.
The risk outweighed the reward.
Yet something about the Flying Pirates felt… off.
Charlotte had a nagging suspicion that, even if no external force disrupted them, Shiki's crew might not be strong enough to contend with the Roger Pirates.
Just then, one of his subordinates rushed in, bowing respectfully.
"Boss, Qiqiya, the leader of the Sky Pirates, is here to see you."
Charlotte's face twisted. He had no desire to see her.
After hesitating for a moment, he waved a hand dismissively.
"Tell her I'm sick and unavailable."
Before the subordinate could leave, a voice as light as silver bells rang out.
"Wuhu! Captain Charlotte, are you avoiding me?"
Qiqiya strolled in gracefully, as if she owned the place.
Charlotte shot a glare at his subordinate, who was now drenched in sweat and at a loss for words.
It wasn't his fault. Stopping her would have been impossible.
Charlotte sighed. "Forget it. Go handle your duties."
The subordinate fled as if he had been pardoned from execution.
Charlotte turned to Qiqiya, putting on a sickly expression.
"Miss Qiqiya, you wound me. I truly am unwell. The last fight I had with the captain left me with serious internal injuries. I'm still recovering."
Qiqiya's amused eyes gleamed.
"Charlotte, don't insult my intelligence. Someone of your strength wouldn't take this long to recover. Besides, I've done an analysis on you."
Charlotte's eye twitched. An analysis?
He inhaled deeply, snatched a glass of wine from the table, and downed it in one gulp.
"I'm so low-key, and you still had to analyze me? Are you even human?"
Qiqiya giggled.
"Which is exactly why I recommended this mission for you. Aren't I a great person? You should be thanking me!"
"Thank you, my ass."
Charlotte barely restrained himself from flipping the table.
"Oh, before I forget, here's the sea chart."
Qiqiya pulled out a map, setting it on the table. A kingdom was clearly marked—the Kingdom of Iler.
"That foolish king dared to rob a ship carrying treasure that belonged to the Flying Pirates. That's a direct challenge to Captain Shiki's authority. Needless to say, he's furious."
Charlotte's expression turned grim.
How idiotic did one have to be to steal from Shiki? Did that king have a death wish?
Then again, it didn't matter.
What mattered was that he had to clean up the mess.
Charlotte rubbed his temples.
"When are you planning to leave?" Qiqiya asked with a smile.
Charlotte met her gaze, already knowing there was no escaping this. With a deep sigh, he finally muttered.
"I'll have my men start preparations."